Return to Neverland
by daniJOY
Summary: Have you ever wondered what would have happened if Peter left Neverland with Wendy? This is that story. After realizing his mistake in growing up, Peter disappears. Wendy, now a teenager, is left feeling guilty for her friend's grief. Soon after Peter's disappearance, Wendy is kidnapped and taken back to Neverland, but Neverland is a much more savage place than she remembers.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

It had been just over two months since Wendy had last seen Peter. She thought of him often; her memories filled with regret. It was her fault that Peter aged into the one thing he swore he would never become: a man. Although some could argue that a teenage boy is not necessarily a man, the fact is that Peter had lost his innocence, and would never be the same again. If she hadn't been so persuasive that day in Neverland, Peter would still be young and happy, but she convinced him to return to London with her and the lost boys.

Living in London wasn't terrible for Peter at first. In fact, having his friends beside him in a new world full of new adventures was good fun for Peter, especially with Wendy by his side. That feeling of wonder soon left him, however, when adventure and fun were replaced by thoughts of the future and becoming a man. Peter would have gladly gone back to Neverland, but it was too late. The ability to fly had left him, and Tinker Bell was nowhere to be found. Without the ability to fly, Peter was stuck in London. For four years he continued growing until he was unrecognizable. No longer was he the little, cherub-cheeked boy he was in Neverland, but instead he had grown into a handsome, strapping young man, much to his displeasure.

It was a calm winter's night when Peter ran away. The Darling family along with Peter and the Lost boys were sat down to dinner when Mr. Darling mentioned an unpopular topic for conversation. Peter was around seventeen-years-old (approximately), and Mr. Darling had decided that it was time to start Peter's trade training towards becoming a filing clerk. Peter was not at all happy to hear the news, causing a great feeling of hostility around the table. In an attempt to calm the room, Peter excused himself from dinner. While the others continued their meals, Peter used the moment to leave the Darling's home once and for all.

The guilt that Wendy felt lied heavy on her conscience. She tried to imagine where Peter might be, if he was happy or not. She liked to believe that he was. They had been so close, but now she had no doubts in her mind that Peter hated her for what she had done. It killed her inside to accept that she would never see Peter again; that she would never get the chance to apologize for making him so unhappy. She turned away from her window and headed towards her bed. She heard the sound of Big Ben's 11 o' clock chime as she crawled underneath her duvet. Before the sounding of the eleventh chime, Wendy had fallen asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Wendy slept. It would soon be midnight, but she and the rest of London would not notice as they were all fast asleep. The city was quiet and peaceful; the sky as clear as could be with the moon and stars reflecting off the houses with ease. The moonlight inside Wendy's room was soon interrupted by a shadow that appeared through the window. This was no ordinary shadow, for it was large and took on no true shape. Still Wendy slept. Slowly, the window began to open by some force from the outside. Without making a sound, two brawny men slipped into Wendy's bedroom. They snuck their way over to opposite sides of her bed and grabbed her, making sure to stifle her screams as they carried her out through the window and aboard their flying pirate ship.

Wendy fought her kidnappers hard, but a sixteen-year-old girl was no match for two muscular pirates. She punched and kicked, trying everything to break free when a huge _SMACK_ landed directly on her cheek. She was terrified. She had been in this situation before, but things were different now, and she was not naïve enough to believe she wouldn't be harmed. The red mark growing on her cheek was proof enough of that. A tear rolled down her cheek in response to the pain, but she knew she could not let these men see her in a vulnerable state, so she did not let another fall.

Wendy quickly recognized the ship to be the Jolly Roger. She jokingly mocked herself as she tried to think of any other floating pirate ship flying around London. Surely the mastermind behind her kidnapping had to be none other than Captain Hook. She had yet to see him on board the ship, but she was sure he was planning on using her for some scheme in Neverland. Could this mean that Peter somehow made his way back?

The men dragged Wendy below the ship's deck and shoved her into a small cell. Being all alone, Wendy's thoughts consumed her. She began imagining Neverland, and what it felt like to be there. She couldn't help but feel a small inkling of excitement as she pictured the beaches, the jungles, and the lagoons of Neverland. Even if she was being held captive by Captain Hook and his crew, she knew it was just a matter of time before her captors slipped up and she was free.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Three days. Wendy had been locked away in the cell for three days without a single word from anyone. She knew that the ship had to have been in Neverland by now, but she could not understand why no one had informed her, even if she had already known. _Why am I here?_ She wondered as she waited. Surely they hadn't forgotten about her. Why kidnap her for nothing?

Suddenly, Wendy heard footsteps approaching her cell. Soon a man appeared and pulled out a key to unlock her cell door. As he worked, Wendy observed him and quickly recognized him as one of her captors. He was a big man, probably nearing 6'5 with biceps that seemed to be the size of her head. He was bald, but a small amount of scruffy facial hair revealed that he was red-headed. He had a tattoo of a four-leaf clover on his left shoulder with the words _Fortiter et Fideliter_ below. Wendy wanted to ask what the words meant, but she decided it would be wiser not to ask.

The man led Wendy through a series of hallways and staircases until she found herself in the Captain's quarters. The last time she had been in these quarters was when Captain Hook tried to persuade her into joining their crew. Little did she know that it was all a trick to uncover Peter's secret hideout, but luckily everything had worked out. She wondered what new propositions Hook would have for her now.

As she waited for Hook to arrive, a man no older than twenty entered the room. Wendy, still being restrained by the large man, observed him as he began tidying up. He was very handsome, with chiseled features, dark hair, and tanned skin – no doubt from working on deck. She was surprised when he took a seat in the Captain's chair.

"That'll do, Pad," he said as he motioned for the large man to leave. "Have a seat, Ms. Darling." Wendy took a seat in a plush armchair across from the Captain's chair.

"I bet you're wondering why you're here."

Wendy nodded in agreement.

"It's quite simple, really. I want something, and you're going to help me get it," he said with a smirk.

Wendy was still very confused. "W-Where is Captain Hook?" she asked nervously. The smirk on the man's face grew as he watched her. "Hook?" he questioned, "You mean James Hook?" Wendy nodded. "He's no longer Captain of the Jolly Roger. That responsibility now falls to me. Do you want to know how I got that responsibility?" he asked slyly. Wendy stared at him blankly. "It's quite simple, really," he laughed, "I wanted the ship, so I _took_ it. Hook was in the way, but I fixed that real quick."

"You killed him?" Wendy asked.

"Yes, along with the rest of his crew," he answered. "You will find that Neverland has much changed since you left."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

"W-Who are you?" Wendy asked timorously.

"I am William Sweet, Captain of the Jolly Roger, and ruler of Neverland."

Wendy could feel her composure slipping as this man stared daggers through her façade of bravery. She began to feel sweat forming inside her closed palms, and she found it difficult to keep eye contact with him. His eyes were dark, and uninviting. His stare caused her skin to crawl. What did he want with her? Was she supposed to ask?

"I suppose you would like to hear my plans for you now," he stated.

Wendy let out a timid "yes."

He paused. "We must first take a small walk on-deck," he stated as he stood up from his chair. Captain Sweet reached out a hand to Wendy, which she took with extreme hesitation. He led her to the edge of the ship so that they could examine the island. What Wendy saw was shocking. The bright, sandy beaches that she remembered from childhood were covered in brown weeds, and a thick, gray fog prevented her from seeing any further.

"This is what is left of Neverland," Sweet stated, "a dry, lifeless mound of weeds and moss."

"But how? Why?" Wendy asked.

The Captain gave Wendy a disapproving glance, "Do you really need to ask?"

It was then that Wendy realized what had happened, "How long has it been like this?" she asked.

"In London time? A little over four years."

Peter. When Peter left Neverland it turned. He was the life; the youth that animated the island. The island needed him just as much as he needed it. If he had never left, none of this would have happened. If she hadn't convinced him to go…

"It's even worse on land," Sweet began, "there are creatures living in that fog; dangerous creatures. I've lost a lot of men on that island. Nope, we don't venture on land much anymore."

"What about the fairies? A-and the Indians? And the mermaids?"

"All gone, or turned along with the island as far as I know."

Wendy continued to stare in disbelief. Captain Sweet watched her carefully as her face gave away every thought that ran through her mind. He chuckled to himself, "That's enough for today."

Wendy jerked her head in his direction, "But, what about me? Why am I here?" The Captain turned from her, signaling two men in the process to approach, "O'Keel! Merrick!" he commanded, "Ms. Darling has had enough for today. Take her back to her cell."

The large man who had handled her earlier along with another man latched on to each of her arms. She was not ready to be put back in the cell. She had so many questions, and she wanted them answered. She fought as the men dragged her away from the Captain. She could see him stare in amusement at her efforts before she was pulled beneath the deck and shoved back into her cage.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

It was midnight in London. Peter had been on his own for two months. He wasn't happy by any means, but he felt more in control of his life. He sat down beneath a streetlight near a block of restaurants waiting for the kitchens to throw out the night's scraps. He knew that money was necessary to survive in this world, but the thought of getting a job sickened him. How did he get here? Why did he ever leave Neverland? He had had more than enough of London that was for sure. He wanted desperately to go back to the island, but how? Hunger and exhaustion took him over as he thought of Neverland. Soon Peter Pan was asleep.

Peter was standing in a dense jungle. Small indignations provided proof that he was in Neverland, but it had changed. The jungle was wild, and untamed. It sounded funny to Peter to think that a jungle could be anything other than wild and untamed, but in this case, wild and untamed took on a whole new meaning. The trees were dark, and the floor was covered in moss. Beneath his feet, Peter felt the moss twitch. Was it an animal? He wasn't sure.

"Peter!" A shrill voice called out from the distance. "Peter, help!" Peter spun around trying to pinpoint the location of the voice, but it was no use. The jungle was singing too loudly for him to hear. The voice continued to call out for help, but the jungle was screaming. The noise was surrounding him. Peter took off running, hoping the direction he chose would lead him to the voice. The jungle seemed to fight him as he pushed his way through. He heard the voice more clearly as he approached a small lagoon. Before he had cleared the jungle, the moss covering the ground erupted in front of him preventing him from passing. Peter stopped dead in his tracks; he could not fly away, so he turned and ran. The moss was on him, though. Wrapping itself around his ankles, the moss began to slowly engulf him. Peter panicked. He struggled to pull the moss off of him, but there was too much to fight off. As the moss moved over his chest towards his head, Peter stopped fighting; he knew this was the end. He laid back and closed his eyes as he let the moss slowly crawl up passed his chin. A light shown above him, which he was told is what happened when one dies, so he opened his eyes to welcome its warmth. What he saw, however, was not death, but life! It was Tinkerbell! She pulled at the moss and blasted it with her fairy dust until Peter was free. She led him to the safety of the lagoon.

Peter recognized the lagoon immediately. He had been taken here once before by the Indian Chief Piccaninny when he was just a boy. He was dying at the time, and the waters of the lagoon healed him. The Chief had never seen anything like it. He had known the lagoon was a sacred place on the island, but what he witnessed at that moment was nothing short of a miracle. As the young boy lie lifeless in the shallow waters of the lagoon, a soft wind was carried throughout the island. The wind was a calling for all fairies to materialize before the boy. Using their pixie dust in combination with the lagoon's healing waters, Peter was saved. It was not until later that Peter realized what had happened. Not only had he been saved, but he had been given the gift of eternal youth, and the ability to fly.

Peter wondered why Tink had brought him here. He knelt beside the water and stared down at his reflection. He saw himself, only he was still the young boy he had been the last time he was in Neverland. He was confused, but curious all the same. He reached out a single hand to touch the water's surface. As he watched the ripples form a new reflection appeared in the water behind him. It was a face he did not recognize; a man with dark eyes and hair. He was smirking down at him in the water until his face grew with rage and he raised his sword, ready to plunge it into Peter's back. Peter turned around quickly to defend himself, but it was too late. The man's sword flew swiftly through the air until… _HONK! HONK!_

Peter's eyes snapped open as the traffic on the street woke him from his dream. He was sweating, and short of breath.

An elderly man noticed Peter squirming on the ground as he walked by. "Are you okay, Sonny?" he asked.

"H-huh? O-oh, yes. I'm fine," Peter answered. The man examined Peter, a look of deep empathy on his face. The man pulled out his wallet and handed Peter a small amount of cash, "Here, Sonny, go buy yourself some breakfast. You look starved."

Peter took the money, thanking the man in the process, and headed across the street to his favorite waffle house. As he consumed his breakfast, all he could think about was his dream. _Who was that man? Why was he trying to kill me?_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Peter left the waffle house and headed down the street. It was his routine to walk the day away. If he was walking, at least he looked busy. No one bothered a boy who looked busy. After a day of walking the streets of London, Peter began searching for a place to sleep. He looked up at the street sign to gather his bearings. _Kensington Road_. Why was that name so familiar? Kensington, Kensington. The garden, of course! Kensington was the name of the garden that Peter had run away to when he was young. Peter headed for the crosswalk and tried to remember that day. Would the garden look the same?

As Peter made his way across the street, a small light hiding in the bushes pulled his attention. He stared as it flew from the bushes and moved into the trees. Without thinking, Peter ran after it. The light weaved its way in front of him, never letting him get a good look. Soon they were out in the open. The light stopped as Peter walked towards it. As he got closer, a small sound – like jingle bells – emitted from the light. Peter smiled. _Tink_. The fairy fluttered around Peter, happy to have her friend again.

"Tink! I can't believe it's really you!"

 _Ding-ting-a-ling_.

"I missed you too, Tink. What are you doing in London?"

 _Ring-ring-tinkle_.

"Me? Why were you looking for me?"

 _Ting-ping_. _Tinkle-ring-ring_.

"What? Dying?! That's not possible. How could the island be dying?"

 _Tinkle-ping-ting_.

Peter paused. "Because of me… because I left. I have to get back and fix everything, Tink!" Tinkerbell bounced with excitement. Peter beamed with joy as Tinkerbell spiraled above him, showering him in pixie dust.

"Here goes nothing!" Peter exclaimed as he thought of flying, and Neverland. Peter rose off the ground. He took a quick lap of the garden, ending with a forwards somersault. It felt so natural, almost like he had never stopped. Tinkerbell pulled up beside Peter as he floated high above the garden.

 _Ring-ring-ding_.

"Second star to the right, and then straight on 'til morning." Peter smiled, filled with nostalgia as he looked at his fairy, "Let's go home, Tink."

* * *

The pain was unbearable. Wendy sat in her cell, cradling her injured arm in the other. It had been weeks since the night she was taken from her room, and still no explanation. The men on board the ship grew tired of waiting. She was a beautiful young woman whom they had all been forbidden to touch, at least beneath her clothes. Nothing had stopped them from taking their own frustrations out on her physically, though. The bruises were piling on. She hadn't seen the captain since their conversation on the deck, but she was hoping every day that he would visit. She knew if the captain saw how she had been mistreated, he would right the wrong; it was bad form after all, to harm a defenseless prisoner.

This was not how she imagined her return to Neverland to be. A prisoner to unfamiliar pirates taken to a now unfamiliar island. What was Neverland without the fairies, Indians, pirates, and mermaids? Well, it wasn't short on pirates, but in terms of the other key ingredients that made the island magical, she had seen none. Is it true that they were, in fact, gone? These pirates were new to this world; they did not know where to look. They did not know where the Indians camped, or the mermaids gathered to brush their long hair. Had they ever been to Skull Rock, or the Misty Mountains? They were anchored in Pirates Cove, and Captain Sweet mentioned that they rarely ventured onto dry land. How would they know whether or not everything was gone? She had to see for herself; to know for herself. _Soon I will know everything_.


End file.
